Scottish Highlander Band

Staff

Mr. Ian Black, Director

Ian Black is the Director of Bands and Orchestra at Dunedin High School. He is currently in his fifth year of teaching in Pinellas County. At Dunedin High School, his responsibilities include directing the Highlander Symphonic Winds and Wind Ensemble, Scottish Highlander Marching Band, Jazz Ensemble, Concert Orchestra, and Percussion Ensemble, and also serves as Department Chair. Additionally, Mr. Black teaches Advanced Placement Music Theory and oversees the Pipe Band and Highland Dancers. In 2013, he was honored by the Pinellas Classroom Teachers Association as the recipient of the Kraf-Custer Outstanding Educator Award.

A Pinellas County native, Mr. Black graduated summa cum laude with his Bachelor of Science degree in Music Education from the University of South Florida with Honors College distinction. While at USF, Mr. Black studied clarinet performance under Professor J. Brian Moorhead, principal (solo) clarinet with the Florida Orchestra. He also studied conducting under Dr. Michael Robinson and Dr. William Wiedrich. Mr. Black served as Drum Major of the 300+ member Herd of Thunder Marching Band for two years. As an Honors College student, he completed his Honors Thesis which explored and studied bagpipe programs in secondary schools. Additionally, Mr. Black served as Festival Coordinator for the USF Festival of Winds, Opus 34, a 4-day Festival bringing in over 300 high school students to the USF campus. Prior to his appointment at Dunedin High School, Mr. Black briefly worked as the interim Director at Wesley Chapel High School in Wesley Chapel, FL.

Under his direction, the Instrumental Music Program at Dunedin High School has experienced numerous achievements. All of the ensembles at DHS have consistently earned Superior and Excellent ratings, and the size of the program has steadily increased. In 2012, the entire Instrumental Music program travelled to Washington D.C. in 2012 for the Spirit of America Music Festival and earned the title of Overall Festival Champion. During the 2012-2013 school year, the band was invited to Disney on two separate occasions: In December 2012 for the nationally televised Disney Parks Christmas Parade, and in May 2013 to perform for Disney's 'Coronation' of Merida. In 2014, the Wind Ensemble earned its first Superior rating at the Florida Bandmasters Association State Band MPA. Most recently, the band travelled to Stirling, Scotland, to perform in festivities for the 700th anniversary of the historic Battle of Bannockburn.

Mr. Black is a member of NAfME, FMEA, FBA, FOA, Pi Kappa Lambda, and Phi Mu Alpha Sinfonia. He is the District Secretary for the Florida Bandmasters Association, and he also serves on the Highland Games Committee for the City of Dunedin.

Mr. Iain Donaldson, Pipe Band Director

Iain Donaldson is the Pipe Band Director at Dunedin High School, Dunedin Middle School, Director of Piping for the City of Dunedin and current Pipe Major of the Grade 3 City of Dunedin Pipe Band.

Iain graduated in 1989 with a Bachelor of Fine Arts Degree from the State University of New York at Buffalo. Iain began piping at the age of ten and enrolled in his first pipe band, Niagara and District Pipe Band (Canada) at the Grade 2 level in 1978.

In 1983 Iain embarked on a long career with the 78th Fraser Highlanders Pipe Band (Grade 1) in Toronto, Canada. He remained with the band for 23 years and was Pipe Sergeant for his last five years. The 78th Fraser Highlanders Pipe Band achieved North American Champion, US Open Champion and Canadian Champion Supreme on numerous occasions. In 1987 the band was crowned World Pipe Band Champions, making them the first overseas pipe band to win this title.

From 2005 to 2011 Iain played with The House of Edgar Shotts and Dykehead Pipe Band, Scotland. During this time Iain contributed to achieving British Champions, Cowal Champions, Champion of Champions and World Pipe Band Champions.

Under his direction, the DHS Grade 4 Pipe Band has earned the title of EUSPBA Champion in the State of Florida during the 2013 and 2014 competition season. Most recently, the Grade 4 Pipe Band competed in the 2014 European Championships and earned 7th of 16 in Grade 4A Competition.

Iain and his wife Moira also own and operate Lothian Kilt Rentals & Bagpipe Supplies (formerly The British Shop), a family business established in 1965. The store is located in Dunedin Florida where they cater to everything bagpipes and Scottish attire.

Mrs. Margaret Howard, Highland Dance Instructor

Margaret began dancing at age five, with Mary Stewart, in Kearny NJ. She competed successfully throughout the United States, Canada, and Scotland. Margaret went on to qualify to teach Highland dance with the British Association of Teachers of Dance. She is also qualified to judge with certification from the Scottish Official Board of Highland Dance. She is a Fellow in Highland dances and a Member in National dances. She has judged throughout the United States, Canada, and Scotland, including three times at the the World Championship in Dunoon, Scotland.

Margaret has been teaching Highland dance in Dunedin for 35 years. She also enjoys teaching country line dance at one the area's biggest Country/Western clubs.

Dr. Shannon McKinney, Woodwind Instructor

Shannon McKinney is a Doctor of Musical Arts with a degree in Clarinet Performance with a cognate in Musicology from the University of Miami. While at UM, she performed with the Frost Symphony Orchestra, the Frost Wind Ensemble, the Frost Chamber Orchestra, and the Woodwind Chamber Ensemble. She was also a member of the Frost Clarinet Graduate Quartet which has performed for the Pulitzer Prize winning and Grammy-nominated composer Ellen Taaffe Zwilich. Her dissertation is a collection and critical analysis of clarinet excerpts from wind band literature. As a Mancini Fellow at the Henry Mancini Institute of UM, Dr. McKinney has had the opportunity to perform with Kenny Loggins, Joshua Bell, Edgar Meyer, and Gloria Estefan, among others. She also conducted the UM Clarinet Choir and taught Clarinet Performance classes.

Dr. McKinney earned her M.M. from the University of South Florida in 2009. There, she received the Distinguished Graduate Student Award for her research in Intercultural Music. In 2006, she earned her B.M. from the University of Cincinnati-College Conservatory of Music. While at CCM, she had the opportunity to perform in numerous musical theatre shows, and today, attributes her love of musical theatre to her time spent at CCM. Shannon is a member Pi Kappa Lambda and Sigma Alpha Iota (International Music Fraternity for Women).

Dr. McKinney is sought after as a clarinet clinician for middle and high schools around the Tampa Bay Area in preparation for All-State/All-County auditions and Solo & Ensemble performances. Additionally, she frequently freelances with local orchestras and pit ensembles for musicals.

Mr. Stephen Cantin, Brass and Visual Instructor

Stephen Cantin has been a music director for 11 years in both Hillsborough and Pinellas counties. Currently, he is a performing member of the Second Time Arounders Marching Band. His past marching experiences include the Phantom Regiment and Magic of Orlando Drum and Bugle Corps. Cantin graduated from Brandon Senior High School and received his Bachelor's degree from the University of Tampa. He has a studio of private brass students in addition to being a drill writer, visual consultant, and an active adjudicator for the Florida Bandmasters Association. He can be reached at scantin13@yahoo.com.

Ms. Leanna Harvin, Percussion Instructor

Ms. Harvin is a graduate of Clearwater High School and has played percussion for 14 years. As a high school student, she earned several superior ratings at State Solo and Ensemble assessment. After graduation, Ms. Harvin continued to instruct at Clearwater High School, bringing their percussion section to new heights and helping them garner consistent Superior ratings. She has earned her Bachelor's Degree in ESE Education from St. Petersburg College and plans to attend USF for her Master's in Occupational Therapy. She would be happy to watch your dogs or baby-sit your small children.

Mr. Gary Smith, Scottish Side Drum Instructor

Born and raised in the northeastern United States, Gary began playing the snare drum at 9 years of age, and continued playing through college. After graduating from college he moved to Dallas, TX to pursue his career in police work, and put up the sticks until being introduced to the art of Scottish style drumming in Feb. 2000, at which time Gary began playing in the local pipe band, the North Texas Caledonian Pipes & Drums. Gary flourished and took over as lead drummer within the year, a position he held until moving to Dunedin in Sept. 2012 upon his retirement after 32 years with the Dallas Police Dept. Gary has gladly assisted other pipe bands in instruction and score composition over the years, and has competed in the World Pipe Band Championships in Glasgow, Scotland, three times in grade 3B. Gary has also played in the Silver Thistle PB (grade 3) from Austin, TX, and the Irish Pipers Band of San Francisco (grade 3), and is the newest member of the City of Dunedin grade 3 band drum corps.

Gary is excited about settling into his new hometown and looks forward to teaching the middle and high school pipe band snare drumming students, and in raising the bar of achievement for the performance and competition seasons ahead.

Mr. Tim Marchand, Scottish Tenor Drum Instructor

Mr. Marchand is a graduate of both Dunedin Highland Middle School and Dunedin High Schools, serving in the pipe bands at both schools. As a member of Grade 3 City of Dunedin Pipe Band, Mr. Marchand recently competed at the World Pipe Band Championships in Glasgow, Scotland. He has provided adjudication for tenor drumming events at Highland Games around the state. Several of his tenor drum students have earned significant accolades, including Champion Supreme in SUSPBA competition, the Midwestern Highland Arts Fund Gold Medal in Novice and Amateur tenor drumming, and a tenor drumming scholarship to Monmouth College in Illinois. Mr. Marchand loves serving his community, and is currently a Firefighter/Paramedic for the City of Dunedin.